A standard machine that the factory builds often can be ready in a few weeks. A custom machine, a larger machine or a complete line commonly takes two to four months, and sometimes longer. The real answer depends on design work, bought-out parts and testing.
Always ask the factory for a written schedule that splits the lead time into stages. A single number hides where delays usually come from. It also gives you dates to check against while the machine is being built, rather than finding out about a delay in the final week.
What sets the lead time
- Design and drawing approval can take weeks if the machine is modified for you.
- Castings and fabrications must be made or ordered before machining can start.
- Bought-out items such as CNC controls, PLCs, motors, bearings and drives may have their own delivery times.
- Machining and assembly depend on how busy the shop is with other orders.
- Testing, trial runs and any changes found during the trial add time at the end.
- Painting, packing and export documents take a few more days.
Where delays usually happen
Imported components are the most common cause. A machine can be fully assembled and waiting for one control panel item. Ask which components are imported and whether they are already in stock.
Late approvals from the buyer are the second cause. If the factory sends a layout drawing and waits two weeks for your reply, the schedule slips by two weeks. Agree who approves what and how fast.
The third cause is a failed trial. If the machine does not meet the agreed test, it goes back for correction. That is a good outcome compared with finding the problem after delivery. Read about FAT and SAT to plan the trial properly.
How to protect your schedule
Put the delivery date and key milestones in the contract. Link stage payments to milestones such as completed assembly or a passed trial. Ask for weekly photo updates. A delay clause gives both sides a clear rule, as covered in penalty clauses for delays.
Add sea freight, customs and inland transport to the factory lead time when you plan your installation date.
Seasonal factors
Plan around the Indian calendar. Many Gujarat factories slow down or close for several days around Diwali, usually in October or November. Monsoon rain can delay road transport and painting. Year-end pressure in March can also tie up shop capacity as factories rush to finish orders.
If your date is fixed, start early and build in a margin of a few weeks. It is easier to store a finished machine for a short time than to explain a late one to your customer.
Next step
We supervise production and report progress against the agreed schedule. Book a free sourcing review to plan your order.